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Don Jolliff, Tarzana, CA
I was diagnosed with full-blown AIDS in August of 1992 and I, at that time, had 70 T-cells and the only medicine at that time was AZT, which is what I was put on. It worked for a few months, but then gradually the virus started to overcome the AZT and my T-cells went down to as low as 5. I was getting pretty sick. I contracted PCP, which is pneumocystis corinii, a form of severe pneumonia. That's when I decided, with the doctors' recommendations, that I retire from work. So I did retire in 1996. There were new medicines that were coming out that did help gradually over the years. But nothing until the cocktail came out. That's the way it went for a while. The different medicines gradually built up my system so that I could overcome a lot of the infections. I'm very thankful that the new medicines came along, finally the cocktail. As far as a normal person's immune system, it runs anywhere from a thousand to twelve, fifteen hundred - in that range. Anything below two hundred is considered full blown AIDS.Don's CareGiver is his longtime partner, Ed. Was he tough on you Don? Yes, but it was a good tough. It was a very good tough. He pushed me when I needed to be pushed. Otherwise, I think I would have gradually given up. I was weak and he said, "Come on you can make it. You can make it into the gym, you can ride the bicycle for a little while." By him doing that, it helped me get out of bed and get busy and do something and get the exercise that I needed to help me carry on. When a caregiver does that, Don, what is it a manifestation of? A manifestation of love and concern. They're showing that they really care. That they're going to be there for you in the bad times as well as the good. How would you define the word "honor" in this relationship? I would say that in the trust that he's shown to me, in being here for me, is an honor in itself. That showing that he's going to be there no matter what, and that he's looking after my best interests by pushing me, by saying, "eat more," by saying, "you need to exercise, you shouldn't stay in bed so much." Doing things like that - it's just a great trust and a great honor having him there. I'm sure I wouldn't be alive today if it wasn't for him and his care giving. |
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